The Raiders snapped a four-game losing streak last week against the Titans, but they’ll face tougher competition Sunday when they travel to play the Chiefs.
Don’t be fooled by Kansas City’s 3-3 record. The three-time defending AFC champs are coming off a huge win against the Lions and will present as many problems for the Raiders (2-4) as ever.
Here are three things to know about the Chiefs heading into Sunday’s game:
1. Mahomes remains elite
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is playing at an MVP level once again.
Mahomes’ 1,514 passing yards are the sixth most in the NFL. His 11 passing touchdowns are tied for the sixth most. He’s also run for four scores and has only thrown two interceptions.
Mahomes, 30, should get a boost this week with the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice, who was suspended the first six weeks of the season. The Raiders’ secondary needs to be locked in because the Chiefs’ passing attack can win in a variety of ways.
“(Mahomes is) as good as you can get. He really is,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s a fantastic football player, creative and innovative and tough. And he’s running like crazy this year, which really just makes him a bigger threat. So, this is as hard as it gets.”
2. Jones still dangerous
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is one of the premier players in the NFL and is on pace to end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jones, 31, has shown no signs of slowing down this year. He he has 24 quarterback pressures, 16 hurries and seven quarterback hits in six games. The Raiders know they have to pay extra attention to where Jones lines up throughout Sunday’s game.
“I’ve been playing in this league long enough to know there’s great players everywhere. There’s Hall of Fame players on every team, and Chris Jones is one of them,” Raiders quarterback Geno Smith said. “He’s a great competitor. He’s a tough guy in the interior.”
3. Don’t overlook Kansas City’s defense
It’s easy to focus on the Chiefs offense with Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce on the field and coach Andy Reid calling plays.
But the defense has been just as key to the team’s success in recent seasons. The Chiefs have finished in the top eight in points allowed three of the last four years. They’re 11th so far this season. Much of that success is thanks to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, one of the most respected minds in the game.
It helps that Kansas City has so much continuity on that side of the ball. Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton, cornerback Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis are all familiar with Spagnuolo’s scheme and know how to execute it.
“It’s really, really well coordinated,” Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “They really give a lot of different looks and do them all very well. So it’s tough to say, ‘Hey, when we get to this area of the field, this is all we’re going to get,’ because he’s so varied in what he does in his approach.”
